One-of-a-kind works of art are also known as “OOAK” artworks. This means that every work of art is unique and there will never be another identical one.
Presentation in French, followed by presentation in Romanian: La Nuit Blanche des Galeries is an annual European event. The pictorial ensemble presented here was created especially for the 2021 edition organized by the Union of Visual Artists of Romania, its Craiova subsidiary having this year offered artists to work around the theme "The Pandora's[...]
Presentation in French, followed by presentation in Romanian: La Nuit Blanche des Galeries is an annual European event. The pictorial ensemble presented here was created especially for the 2021 edition organized by the Union of Visual Artists of Romania, its Craiova subsidiary having this year offered artists to work around the theme "The Pandora's Box". The original work was painted on paper, measuring 92x61cm. The realization of this set took place over a month between August 15 and September 15, 2021, and was preceded by two preparatory tables measuring 61x46 cm. Once the final work was completed, it was divided and cut into two equal parts, a 1x61cm strip being removed from its central part. This lack illustrates the impossibility of a return to an initial situation, regardless of the effort made. The two cut surfaces were mounted on two panels of wood fibers measuring 45x60 cm, giving two distinct works, one entitled "Dor" (upper half of the original work), the other called "Izvor" ( lower half). These two paintings are intended to be displayed next to each other in a set entitled "Speranta": "Izvor" is placed in a low position, shifted to the left, while "Dor" is placed higher to its right, a margin of maneuver existing in the arrangement of the two rooms. The design of this unique set offers the possibility of arranging its elements in an infinite number of positions in the finite space that will constitute the neighborhood of the two paintings. The installation in the exhibition space nevertheless remains dependent on the characteristics of the place and the event. Throughout the design and realization of this set, the theme of the Pandora's box was explored and addressed through a semantic thread formed by four words essential to the constitution of this pictorial universe: hierarchy - balance - curiosity - rupture. The texts of antiquity emphasize a hierarchical balance between several dyads (creator-creature, human-god, man-woman), any form of doubt or rebellion motivated by curiosity, questioning or the search for answers, being discouraged or punished. In this ancient perspective, the opening of the box and the escape of all evil in the world finds its origin in an outburst of curiosity assimilated to a demand for equality that can only be illegitimate in the eyes of the gods: knowledge cannot become fully accessible to the human being since he is not equal to the gods. Regardless of the effort, the abysmal dimension of the unknown encloses the human being in the vicious circle of insatiable curiosity, a source of boundless suffering. The myth of Pandora and the story of Genesis have deep ties, both putting the weight of transgression on the woman, blaming Eve for the expulsion from the Garden of Eden and Pandora for spreading all evil on Earth. . Thus, in the ancient world, the decree of inequality and submission of women to men is justified a posteriori. The same fate will be reserved, in these societies, for the figure of the slave and the stranger, as well as for the child, to a certain extent. If the ancient worlds of the West — Greek, Roman, or Christian — sought to maintain the stability of the hierarchical balance, the rupture comes from the Enlightenment, as the first fissure in this fixed order and the first step toward equality and legitimacy. of human questioning, curious, open, highly imperfect but aiming at the hope of living by learning and sharing knowledge. The pictorial ensemble "Speranta" claims its connection with the theme of the Pandora's box, but at the same time, the polysemy of the proposed images aims to take the gaze beyond the usual representation of a box whose evil content escaped, contaminating a “perfect” world (when that perfect world never had time to exist), or the notion of a hopeless hopelessness (the illusion that Evil could be put back into the box, or even going back on his own). The three titles given to the set and its two constituent elements reinforce the polysemy of the images, offering the viewer the possibility of a journey into his own intimate territories and inviting him to contact various aspects of his own journey and emotions. which are related to it. This ensemble was created for the national artistic event "White Night of Galleries" with the theme "Pandora's Box". The original painting was made on paper measuring 92x61 cm, between August 15 and September 15, 2021. Two preparatory works of 61x46 cm preceded it. After completion, the work was cut into two equal parts, removing from the center a strip of 1x61 cm. The purpose of this elimination is to show the impossibility of returning to an initial situation regardless of the effort made. The cut surfaces were mounted on two panels of wood fibers with dimensions of 45x60 cm resulting in two works entitled "Dor" (upper part of the original work) and "Spring" (for the lower part of the initial work). The works are exhibited together in an ensemble called "Hope". The work "Izvor" is placed in the gap to the left in a lower position, and "Dor" is placed to its right. In the artist's vision, the possibility of arranging the ensemble in an infinity of positions in the finite space of the works' neighborhood is part of the conceptual dimension that led to the realization of this unique ensemble. The final arrangement in the exhibition space is subject to the practical considerations of the organizer. From an aesthetic point of view, the aim is to create a visual ensemble that can give the viewer the opportunity to make the connection between the two works. This is in order to transmit, on the one hand, the unity of the original painting and, on the other hand, to communicate at the same time the rupture in the continuity of the pictorial event as well as of its narration. The representation of the theme of the "Pandora's box" during the conception and realization was made by following a semantic thread in the universe produced by four words of major importance: hierarchy - balance - curiosity - rupture. In ancient texts, a hierarchical balance is imposed (creator - creature, gods - people, man - woman) punishing and discouraging any form of doubt or rebellion grafted on curiosity, investigation or questionnaires. Consequently, the opening of the box comes from an access of curiosity assimilated with a demand of illegitimate equality: knowledge cannot be accessible to the human being in its entirety, because man is not equal to the gods. Regardless of the effort made, the abysmal nature of the unknown part leads man, in a vicious circle, to an insatiable curiosity full of boundless suffering. There is a deep connection between Greek mythology and the biblical narrative. Both the myth of Pandora and the book of Genesis both emphasize the woman's transgression by blaming Eve for being excluded from Paradise and Pandora for spreading all evil on earth. Thus in the ancient world and in the medieval world it is justified to impose inequality and submission of women to men. The same fate is reserved for the slave, the stranger and the child to a certain extent. The rupture will come during the Enlightenment by irreversibly cracking this frozen order, taking a first step towards equality, legitimizing human questioning, curious and open. Even if the presented ensemble is attached to the theme of Pandora, the polysemous character of the presented images tries to carry the viewer beyond the usual social representations related to "a box full of evils that emptied into a perfect world" (which in fact did not even have time to exist), or a hopeless way out (maybe the evils would come back into the box by themselves or maybe someone would put them back). The 3 titles come to strengthen the polysemy of the images, opening to the viewer the possibility of a journey in his intimate territories, inviting him to connect with the emotion of some aspects of his personal life.
Ciprian-Florin Stancu is a Franco-Romanian painter and photographer living in France. He grew up in Craiova in Romania, where he acquired a double background in fine arts and sciences. He trained with, among[...]
Ciprian-Florin Stancu is a Franco-Romanian painter and photographer living in France. He grew up in Craiova in Romania, where he acquired a double background in fine arts and sciences. He trained with, among others, Mihail Trifan and Ilie Marineanu for painting, Ilie Berindei for sculpture and Nicu Dan Gelep for photography. At the same time, he trained in sound techniques.
He left Romania for France in 1991 and after a Masters in industrial design and graphic communication in Paris, he worked in a design office, then in advertising and marketing. After a few years he questioned the world of commercial art towards which his professional itinerary had led him, and gradually moved away from it from the 2000s. He followed a double course in psychology and philosophy at the University of Paris VIII, obtaining a DEA in philosophy as well as a master's degree in clinical psychology. He then developed a philotherapy activity while at the same time returning to a deeply personal artistic practice. He now devotes himself mainly to painting, photography and collaborations around sound and image.
"The objects, places, beings who inhabit my paintings have a very particular reality, a direct link with a future world which presents itself as it is, which does not seek its confirmation in reality but manifests its presence and asserts itself thus in the real. I call "im-mediated imaginary" my approach and my intimate vision of painting: an imaginary without mediation. If the real world is my cradle and my place of being, my painting, a window open to a another world, overflows by crossing the fine fabric delicately stretched within the framework of reality. " Ciprian-Florin Stancu, 2021
Ciprian-Florin Stancu is a Romanian-born artist currently living in France. Growing up in Craiova, Romania during the 1970's and 80's, he acquired a solid scientific background, while receiving formal training in fine arts from painters Mihail Trifan and Ilie Marineanu and from sculptor Ilie Berindei. Craiovean photographer Nicu Dan Gelep became his mentor in artistic photography and lab work.
After graduating with a Master's degree in industrial and graphic design in Paris, France, in 2001, he worked in marketing and advertising while expanding his remarkable creative range. After a decade of working in commercial art, Ciprian left the world of publicity in order to reaffirm his own artistic voice while also resuming intellectual pursuits in social sciences and philosophy, subsequently obtaining two Master's degrees from the University Paris 8 (in psychology and philosophy) . He then established a private practice as a practical philosophy therapist while maintaining his own art studio, delving more into a deeply personal artistic expression. Over the last years, his focus has been on painting, though he also occasionally provides artwork, videos and sound design for musical projects.
